Desert Valley Hospital to build heliport

Friday

Jan 4, 2013 at 2:29 PMJan 7, 2013 at 6:16 AM

Tomoya Shimura, Staff Writer

VICTORVILLE • Desert Valley Hospital is planning to build a surface heliport to transport critically ill or injured patients, and organs in and out of the hospital. Since the High Desert doesn't have a trauma center, patients who need a high-level care have to be sent down the Cajon Pass.

Desert Valley, owned by Prime Healthcare Services, is ready to build the $150,000 heliport as soon as the City of Victorville approves the plan, said Pat Silvestri, vice president of facility and construction at Prime. The Planning Commissioners will discuss and vote on the project Wednesday during a public hearing.

Desert Valley has an approved temporary landing spot for helicopters on an unimproved area east of the hospital. The hospital averages 10 to 12 landings per month, according to Silvestri.

"Where the temporary location is, it impedes our traffic flow," Silvestri said. "We have to land on that fire lane. By building on its own location, it improves the safety of the area. It's easier to load and unload patients and get them into our emergency room."

Desert Valley plans to build the helipad on a vacant 1.23-acre lot on the east side of the campus, about 150 feet north of Bear Valley Road, according to city staff reports. The 8-inch thick concrete helipad will measure 56 feet in length and depth, with a finish surface 8 feet above ground.

Construction will begin within four to six weeks once the city approves the project, Silvestri said. It will then take two to three months to build the heliport.

Traversing the Cajon Pass in an ambulance usually takes longer to get to Loma Linda University Medical Center or Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. Patients could also face the closure of Interstate 15 due to snow in the winter.

St. Joseph Health, St. Mary's helipad has about three to five helicopter landings per month, hospital spokeswoman Emily Abbott said.

Desert Valley has a plan to build another medical office building on campus, Silvestri said. If that happens, the helipad will be relocated to the roof of the new facility, he said, because the building will be in the glide path of helicopters.

Wednesday's Planning Commission hearing will begin 5 p.m. at the City Hall Council Chambers, 14343 Civic Drive in Victorville.

Tomoya Shimura may be reached at (760) 955-5368 or TShimura@VVDailyPress.com. Follow Tomoya on Facebook at facebook.com/ShimuraTomoya.

Get complete stories every day with the "exactly as printed" Daily Press E-edition, only $5 per month! Click here to try it free for 7 days. To subscribe to the Daily Press in print or online, call (760) 241-7755, 1-800-553-2006 or click here.